Mopping device for mopping surfaces to be cleaned

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a mopping device for mopping surfaces to be cleaned. Said device is provided with a longitudinally extended mop covering holder ( 1 ), which forms a mopping side and a top side, with a handle sleeve ( 3 ), which is placed on the top side of the mop covering holder ( 1 ), with a handle ( 4 ), which is inserted into the handle sleeve ( 3 ) or integrated with this handle sleeve ( 3 ), and with a mop covering ( 5 ). This mop covering is placed on the mopping side of the mop covering holder ( 1 ), can be attached in a manner that enables it to be replaced and is made of a textile or textile-like material. The mopping device is characterized in that the mop covering holder ( 1 ) has a reservoir ( 6 ) for holding a large quantity of cleaning liquid which can flow via at least one discharge opening ( 7 ) inside the mop covering holder ( 1 ) to the mop covering ( 5 ) attached to the mop covering holder ( 1 ). In addition, the mop covering holder ( 1 ) has at least one ventilation opening ( 8 ), via which air can escape from the reservoir ( 6 ) when filling the reservoir ( 6 ) with cleaning liquid, and air can flow into the reservoir ( 6 ) when cleaning liquid is discharged from said reservoir ( 6 ). The mop covering holder ( 1 ) itself serves as a conveying element to the cleaning liquid.

The invention relates to a mopping device for mopping surfaces to becleaned, particularly floor surfaces, with the features of theintroductory part of claim 1. Parts of the mopping device significant interms of invention are also the mop covering holder with operatinghandle as well as the replaceable mop covering.

Mopping devices of the kind in question have been known for decades.They are extensively used in the professional region. Mopping devices ofthe kind in question therefore have to be very convenient and simple tohandle. Since the margins of businesses in the professional field aresmall, every saving in cost is welcomed.

The subject of the present invention is a mopping device which servesfor, in particular, moist-cleaning of surfaces which are to be cleaned.Such surfaces are particularly expensive to clean when a high degree ofdisinfection has to be achieved, for example in patient rooms ofhospitals.

In the past, operation has been with so-called mops which have long,depending tassels, of textile material for transferring the cleaningliquid to the floor. Mopping devices of the kind in question, which havesimilarly been known for decades and are termed flat mopping devices,have already brought a substantial improvement.

The known mopping device which is constructed as a flat mopping deviceand from which the invention proceeds (DE 29 14 230 A1) has firstly amop covering holder at which a handle sleeve, into which an operatinghandle of greater or lesser length can be inserted, is pivotably mountedusually by way of a universal joint, but occasionally also by way of asimple pivot joint. The mop covering holder is itself constructed as alongitudinally extended rectangular plate or as a longitudinallyextended rectangular wire frame.

There are known not only mop covering holders with fixed holders or withfixed wire frames, but also holders with centrally foldable plates orapproximately centrally foldable wire frames and corresponding actuatingdevices. The latter allow a simpler mounting of the flat mop covering(DE 29 14 230 A1).

A mop covering, which is matched to the mop covering holder and consistsof textile or textile-like material and which is termed a flat mopcovering, is attached to the mop covering holder. This attachment isdetachable, because the mop covering has to be pressed out in themeantime and washed from time to time.

The cleaning quality of surfaces which are to be cleaned is basicallydependent on the residual moisture. In practice it has proved that aquantity of approximately 11.0 g of cleaning liquid per m² of asynthetic material floor covering is advantageous. In the case of thisdegree of moisture the pigment protection is no longer movable, butstrongly adheres to the side, which is active in cleaning, of the mopcovering. The moist mop covering delivers cleaning liquid during moppingover the floor coverings and takes up dirt particles in a counteraction.

The moisture delivery from the mop covering to the surface to be cleanedis not readily controllable. In practice, a wet track of the cleaningliquid is applied centrally to the portion of surface, which is to becleaned, by the still very wet mop covering and thereafter this excessis distributed on the surface portion, which is to be cleaned, by aswivelling mopping process.

In order to be able to transfer a sufficient quantity of the cleaningliquid from the storage bucket to the surface to be cleaned, the mopcovering has to have a certain capability of absorption and capabilityof retention of cleaning liquid. In practice, mop coverings for flatmopping devices of the state of the art with an area of approximately400 mm×100 mm have a weight of approximately 180 g. Notwithstanding thisrelatively high weight, a typical flat mop covering is hardly in aposition of absorbing more than about 50 ml of cleaning liquid insofaras it has previously been freed of water only by pressing. Spun-driedflat mop coverings are, thereagainst, in a position of absorbing about150 mm of cleaning liquid.

In hospitals and in other regions in which it is important to avoid anycontamination, operation is with two spun-dried flat mop coverings. Thedisinfecting solution serving as cleaning liquid is washed in by thefirst mop covering and subsequently dried by a second spun-dried mopcovering. This method is costly, because two mopping processes arerequired and as a consequence double the number of mop coverings to bewashed results.

In order to increase the capability of absorption of cleaning liquid inboth directions, thus not only in the application of cleaning liquid tothe surface to be cleaned, but also in the drying away of cleaningliquid from the surface to be cleaned, it has already been proposed inpractice to construct the mop covering to be multi-layered and provideit with a form of storage surface. The mop covering is thereby even morecomplex in construction and naturally substantially more expensive tomanufacture. Moreover, the effect in practice is still small.

The teaching is based on the problem of so refining and developing theknown mopping device explained above that it is more effectively usablein practice. A mop covering holder and the correspondingly associatedmop covering shall also be correspondingly designed.

The mopping device according to the invention solves the above-indicatedproblem by the features of the characterising part of claim 1.

According to the invention a storage container for cleaning liquid isintegrated in the mop covering holder. In practice, experiments havealready been made with a plastic bottle with cleaning liquid, which hasbeen clipped to the operating handle. These experiments have not,however, led to success.

According to the invention the container for cleaning liquid isintegrated in the mop covering holder itself. The cleaning liquid can,on dipping the mop covering holder together with mop covering into thestorage bucket with cleaning liquid, enter by itself into the reservoirand after closure of the ventilation opening be retained therein untilthe mop covering has been placed on the portion of surface to becleaned. If the moistening decreases during mopping of the surface to becleaned, the ventilation opening can be opened in the meantime so thatcleaning liquid can run back onto the mop covering and the surface to becleaned. There can be thus achieved, by contrast to the past, a quiteprecise control of the degree of moistening of the surface to becleaned.

According to the invention the mop covering holder with the reservoirdisposed therein thus takes over the conveying of the cleaning liquid tothe work location. The mop covering itself remains responsible only forthe distribution of the cleaning liquid on the portion of surface to becleaned and for the pick-up of dirt.

Quite significant advantages are achieved with such a mopping device inaccordance with the invention. Due to the fact that the cleaning liquidis conveyed by means of the mop covering holder itself, the mop coveringcan be freed of design features which have hitherto determined theabsorption capability for cleaning liquid. Larger loops, fringes,tassels, etc., can largely be dispensed with. The weight of the dry mopcovering is reduced, for the same size, from about 180 g to about 50 g.A substantial saving of material is thereby given. The washing costs forsoiled mop coverings are substantially lower.

The use of cleaning liquid on the surface to be cleaned is controllablemore economically than before.

Preferred refinements and developments of the mopping device accordingto the invention are the subject of further subclaims. A correspondinglydesigned mop covering holder and a correspondingly designed mop coveringare, in themselves, also subject of the invention.

The invention is explained in more detail in the following on the basisof a drawing illustrating merely examples of embodiment. Refinements anddevelopments of general interest of the invention are also explained inconjunction with the explanation of the examples of embodiment on thebasis of the drawing. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a preferred example of embodiment of a mopping deviceaccording to the invention,

FIG. 2 a shows, in section, the mop covering holder with a closedreceiving groove and with the ventilation opening opened,

FIG. 2 b shows, in section, the mop covering holder with an openreceiving groove,

FIG. 3 shows the mop covering holder from FIG. 2 a, with the ventilationopening closed,

FIG. 4 shows the operating handle of an embodiment of the mopping devicein the region of a manual actuating element,

FIG. 5 shows a modified embodiment of a mop covering holder of a moppingdevice according to the invention with a differently arrangedventilation opening,

FIG. 6 shows a further, preferred example of embodiment of a moppingdevice according to the invention and

FIG. 7 shows yet a further example of embodiment of a mopping deviceaccording to the invention.

The subject of the invention is a mopping device for mopping surfaces tobe cleaned, especially floor surfaces, also colloquially termed floormops. Mopping devices of that kind are also used for other surfaces tobe cleaned. A particular field of use of mopping devices of that kind isrooms in facilities to be specially disinfected, for example inhospitals.

The mopping device illustrated in FIG. 1 in overview comprises, firstly,a longitudinally extended mop covering holder 1. This forms a downwardlydirected mopping side and a top side which is approximately oppositethereto and here inclined laterally relative thereto. A handle sleeve 3is mounted at the mop covering holder 1 at the top side and, inparticular, preferably by a simple or universal pivot joint 2 relativeto the mop covering holder 1. FIG. 1 shows an operating handle 4inserted into the handle sleeve 3 or integrated with the handle sleeve3. By means of the operating handle 4 the mop covering holder 1 can beguided, at least with realisation of a universal pivot joint 2, inalmost any desired relative position over the surface to be cleaned.

The illustrated example of embodiment shows merely a simple pivot joint2, thus forming a single pivot axis, not a universal pivot joint.

FIG. 1 further shows a mop covering 5 arranged at the mop coveringholder 1 at the mop side and fastened to be replaceable. This coveringusually consists of textile or textile-like material, often a syntheticfibre fabric or a synthetic fibre/cotton/mixed fibre with fringes,knoppy yarn or loops, which are arranged on the cleaning surface and atthe edge, for optimisation of a cleaning action. Appropriate microfibreproducts are on occasions nowadays used for this.

The mop covering 5 can be fastened to the mop covering holder 1 indifferent ways. Additional explanation is given further below withrespect to the different fastening techniques.

The problem with known flat mopping devices has been explained in detailin the general part of the description. According to the invention thefunction of reception and conveying of cleaning liquid is now, indeparture from the past, associated with the mop covering holder 1itself. For that purpose it is provided in accordance with the inventionthat the mop covering holder 1 has a reservoir 6 for reception of alarger quantity of cleaning liquid, which can issue onto the mopcovering 5, which is fastened to the mop covering holder 1, by way of atleast one discharge opening 7 in the mop covering holder 1, and that themop covering holder 1 additionally has at least one ventilation opening8 by way of which air can escape from the reservoir 6 during filling ofthe reservoir 6 with cleaning liquid and air can flow back into thereservoir 6 during discharge of cleaning liquid from the reservoir 6.The cross-section of the mop covering holder 1 with the reservoir 6disposed therein can be recognised particularly clearly in the sectionsin FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. FIG. 2 a and FIG. 3 show the ventilation opening 8once open and once closed. FIG. 5 shows an alternative to thearrangement of the ventilation opening 8.

As long as the ventilation opening 8 or the ventilation openings 8 is orare closed, air is prevented from flowing back into the reservoir 6.Cleaning liquid can thereby be prevented from issuing from the reservoir6 onto the mop covering 5 to a substantial extent.

The mop covering holder 1 together with the mop covering 5 disposedthereat is lowered, when the ventilation opening 8 is opened, into thestorage bucket filled with cleaning liquid, the mop covering 5 in thatcase is fully soaked with cleaning liquid and cleaning liquid fills thereservoir 6 in the mop covering holder 1, since the air disposed thereincan escape through the ventilation opening 8. Subsequently thereto theventilation opening 8 is closed. The mopping device is placed on theportion of surface to be cleaned. Since the ventilation opening 8 isclosed, hardly any cleaning liquid exits from the reservoir 6 in thatcase. Merely the cleaning liquid stored in the mop covering 5 will thendrop down to some degree.

The surface to be cleaned is initially worked with the wet mop covering5. In the case of decreasing moistening of the surface, the ventilationopening 8 is opened and cleaning liquid can continue flowing onto themop covering 5. If sufficient cleaning liquid has exited from thereservoir 6, the ventilation opening 8 is closed again and the flow ofcleaning liquid onto the mop covering 5 is interrupted. The cleaningliquid is distributed over a further surface portion. This continuesuntil the reserve of cleaning liquid in the reservoir 6 is used up. Thecycle can then be repeated anew.

The illustrated embodiment moreover shows a construction which ischaracterised by the fact that the mop covering holder 1 has anapproximately circular cross-section. Obviously, in principle anycross-section of the mop covering holder 1 is suitable. A circularcross-section or approximately circular cross-section is, however, quiteconvenient in terms of operating technique. Moreover, a mop coveringholder 1 defining such a cavity 6 can be produced particularlyconveniently.

The illustrated embodiment shows the mop covering holder 1 as a tubularelement which is formed in the interior space by virtually just thereservoir 6. The reservoir 6 is closed at the end by closure caps 9which are, in a given case, be removable. With the closure caps removed,the interior of the mop covering holder 1, thus the reservoir 6, can berinsed through and thus cleaned.

At the floor side the mop covering holder 1 can, as illustrated, beflattened off in order to ensure a good adaptation to the surface to becleaned.

A design in which in the illustrated manner the ventilation opening 8 isarranged at the mop covering holder 1 at the top side is advantageous.

In principle it is possible to design the ventilation opening 8 to beclosable and openable by hand and, in particular, by means of a movableclosure element 10. FIG. 5 shows such a construction with a ventilationopening 8 laterally of the pivot joint 2 of the handle sleeve 3, closedby means of a closure element 10 executed as a withdrawable andre-insertable closure strip. A hook-and-burr strip fastener can, forexample, also be provided here. The closure element 10 can, however,also be riveted, glued, clipped or in other manner captively attached tothe mop covering holder 1. An entirely removable closure element 10 canalso be realised.

There are naturally various alternatives for the design of the closureelement 10, for example also construction as a closure plug.

The preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 shows a closureelement 10 which is executed as a closure cap here constructed to beresilient and bell-like. Thus, the ventilation opening 8 is closed inrubber-elastic manner and, in fact, in such a manner that even lateraldeviations can be tolerated to a substantial degree.

Reference has already been made to the fact that the opening and closingof the ventilation opening 8 is possible by hand. For that purpose,however, a user would have to reach into the storage bucket, which isfilled with cleaning liquid, during filling of the mop covering holder 1and constantly bend over during further operation of the mopping device.That is unpleasant in terms of operating technique and almostunacceptable in the professional field. It is thus necessary to seek apossibility of enabling opening and closing of the ventilation opening 8by means of a form of remote control.

In the illustrated embodiment it is now provided that the ventilationopening 8 is arranged in the region of the handle sleeve 3 and theclosure element 10 is arranged at or in the handle sleeve 3 andadjustable substantially perpendicularly relative to the top side of themop covering holder 1. FIGS. 2 to 4 in that case further show that inaccordance with a preferred design a bearing 11 for the closure element10 is already provided in the handle sleeve 3. The handle sleeve 3 thusforms the convenient bearing position for the adjustable closure element10 of the ventilation opening 8. Since the handle sleeve 3 can be partof the operating handle 4, this correspondingly applies also to specificdesigns of operating handles 4 as such.

The construction explained above is a precondition for the fact that theclosure element 10 is adjustable by means of an adjusting mechanism 12,which is arranged at or, preferably, in the operating handle 4 and whichis fixable in a closed setting of the closure element 10.

The entire adjusting mechanism 12 also inclusive, ultimately, of theclosure element 10 can be externally attached to the operating handle 4and extend along the operating handle 4 upwardly into the region atwhich the operating handle 4 is gripped in use. There is thus acomfortable possibility of carrying out the opening and closing of theventilation opening 8 without having to bend over. Preferably, and thusalso provided in the illustrated example of embodiment, the adjustingmechanism 12 is not, however, externally arranged at the operatinghandle 4, but mounted in the interior of the operating handle 4, whichfor this purpose is formed to be hollow.

In detail, it is provided in the illustrated and preferred example ofembodiment, thus to be recognised in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, that theadjusting mechanism 12 has a setting rod 13 which is arranged in or atthe operating handle 4 and which is fixable at least in a pushed-forwardclosed setting holding the closure element 10 in closed position on theventilation opening 8.

In detail it is here provided that the setting rod 13 for fixing isactuable in a rotary motion about its own axis. It can be recognisedparticularly well from FIG. 4 how the fixing is realised in theillustrated embodiment. The operating handle 4 is executed as acontinuous hollow tube. However, this is adapted in the region of theoperation of the adjusting mechanism 12. In particular it is providedthat the upper end or an intermediate member of the setting rod 13extends in an ‘L’ groove 14 in or at the operating handle 4 and thefixing take place in accordance with the principle of function of abayonet closure. In detail, it is provided here that the upper end orthe intermediate member of the setting rod 13 is provided with a manualactuating element 15 preferably constructed as a sleeve covering thebayonet closure.

When the closure element 10 is withdrawn and the ventilation opening 8opened the manual actuating element 15 can be pushed downwardly indirection of the mop covering holder 1 and in that case the setting rod13 can be guided downwardly in the ‘L’ groove 14 until reaching theangle of the ‘L’ groove 14. In this setting the closure element 10 hassecurely closed the ventilation opening 8 (FIG. 3). This takes place inthe illustrated embodiment particularly because the bell-like,rubber-elastic construction of the closure element 10 permits acomparatively large travel of the adjusting mechanism 12 from settingdown of the closure element 10 up to the end of the adjusting movement.In this position the manual actuating element 15 is rotated about thelongitudinal axis of the operating handle 14 whilst entraining therearward end of the setting rod 13. The end of the setting rod 13 or acorresponding laterally projecting pin migrates in the limb of the ‘L’groove 14 extending on the circumference. The adjusting mechanism 12 isthereby fixed in the pushed-forward setting. In the withdrawn setting,the adjusting mechanism 12 fixes itself by the friction of theclose-fitting manual actuating element 15 alone.

The illustrated embodiment (FIG. 2 a, FIG. 3) moreover shows that herethe closure element 10 is additionally biased by means of a springelement 12′ of the adjusting mechanism 12 into an open setting. Theposition of FIG. 3 is reached from the position of FIG. 2 a, thus bypushing down the setting rod 13 against the effect of the spring element12′. The restoring movement is assisted by the spring element 12′.

Not illustrated in the drawings, however, is that not only a bearing 11for the closure element 10 is provided at the lower end of the settingrod 13, but yet a further bearing for the setting rod 13 should also bepresent in an upper region in the operating handle 4.

An alternative, which is not illustrated, consists in allowing theadjusting mechanism 12 to adjust the closure element 10 only linearly.Then provision must be made for being able to fix the closed setting ofthe closure element 10 by a form of detenting. Techniques of this kindare known from ballpoint pens, to appropriate disclosures of whichreference is made.

An alternative for the purely mechanically conceived design of theadjusting mechanism 12 also consists in the adjusting mechanism 12having a hydraulic transfer path arranged in or at the operating handle4. In this case a first transfer piston would be in the operating regionof the operating handle 4, possibly at the end of the operating handle4. A second transfer piston would be below at the closure element 10.The space therebetween would be filled with liquid. By pressing down theupper transfer piston the movement thereof would be hydraulicallytransferred to the lower transfer piston and thus to the closure element10 and the closure element would be closed. Here a fixing in the closedposition and a spring element for restoring the lower transfer pistonwould also have to be provided.

Since observations with respect to the arrangement and closure of theventilation opening 8 or the several ventilation openings 8 have nowbeen dealt with, the design and arrangement of the discharge opening 7or the several discharge opening 7 shall be dealt with in the following.Firstly, it is expedient to arrange the discharge opening 7 or theseveral discharge openings 7 on the mop side of the mop covering holder1. Thus, when the mop covering 5 is fastened at the mop covering holder1 it is ensured that the discharge opening 7 or the several dischargeopenings 7 is or are covered by the mop covering 5 fastened to the mopcovering holder 1.

The discharge opening 7 or the several discharge openings 7 can, at thesame time, realise a fastening function for the mop covering 5. It canthen be provided that the mop covering 5 is provided with a retainingmoulding 16 insertable into the discharge opening 7 or with retainingmouldings 6 insertable into the several discharge openings 7.

The illustrated and, to that extent, preferred embodiment additionallyshows a specific fastening technique for the mop covering 5 to the mopcovering holder 1. In the state of the art, straps or plug pockets areprovided on the rear side of the flat mop covering. In the case of alarger mop covering holder 1, which integrates the tank-like reservoir6, this can no longer be realised quite so simply. In spite of that,classic fastening techniques are naturally also an alternative. Inparticular, a variant proposed more recently is of interest, thisvariant putting into effect narrow, optionally resilient, fasteningstrips (DE 101 42 084.6 of the applicant, the disclosure content ofwhich is incorporated, by reference, in the present disclosure).

The illustrated and preferred embodiment, however, shows for thatpurpose that the mop covering holder 1 has at the mop side a receivinggroove 17, which extends over its full length, for a strip-likeretaining moulding 16 attached to or formed at the mop covering 5. Bymeans of the strip-like retaining moulding 16 the mop covering 5 isinserted or drawn into the receiving groove 17 and thus fixed in itsposition relative to the mop covering holder 1 (FIG. 1; FIG. 2 b).

For the formation of the retaining moulding 16 at the mop covering 5 itcan be provided that the retaining moulding 16 of the mop covering 6 isa sewn-on strip of textile or textile-like material or a strip formedfrom the material of the mop covering 5 itself by folding over andstitching down.

The illustrated and preferred embodiment (FIG. 1) moreover shows thatthe mop covering 5 is executed as a substantially elongated rectangularflat mop covering with a retaining moulding 16 extending approximatelycentrally. This flat mop covering can be formed particularly easily andsimply, because, as explained further above, it has only the cleaningfunction and the dirt collecting function, but no longer the conveyingfunction for the cleaning liquid.

The illustrated and preferred embodiment shows in section according toFIG. 2 b a variant with a receiving groove 17 open towards the reservoir6. The transfer of cleaning liquid from the reservoir 6 to the mopcovering 5 is thereby ensured over a large area, although thecontrollability of the flooding of cleaning liquid suffers in thisvariant. FIG. 2 a therefore shows a preferred design in which thereceiving groove 17 is closed towards the reservoir 6. This happens by ahollow rail 18 which protrudes into the reservoir 6 and which is part ofthe mop covering holder 1 or fixedly attached thereto.

It could be provided that [the discharge opening 7 or several dischargeopenings 7] is or are arranged [in the wall of the] hollow rail 18forming the receiving groove 17. However, an alternative also consistsof providing the discharge opening 7 or the several discharge openings 7not in the region of the receiving groove 17, but laterally of thereceiving groove 17 on the mop side of the mop covering holder 1. Thisalternative is similarly illustrated in the embodiment according to FIG.2 a and FIG. 3.

The arrangement of several small discharge openings 7 laterally of thereceiving groove 7 can have the advantage that the mop covering 5 isuniformly and quickly saturated with cleaning liquid in the regionlaterally of the strip-like retaining moulding 16. On the other hand,the seepage of cleaning liquid directly into the strip-like retainingmoulding 16 of the mop covering 5 has, in a given case, the advantagethat a certain storage function for cleaning liquid is utilised directlyat the mop covering 5.

The illustrated embodiment does not allow recognition of a variant inwhich the hollow rail 18 is constructed not only as a straight ‘U’ rail,but at the ends in front of the closure caps 9 is bent over and drawn uprelative to the top side of the mop covering holder 1. Thus there wouldequally be guidance for fastening elements at the mop covering 5.

In the illustrated embodiment the mop covering 5 is provided at the end,preferably at the retaining moulding 16, with fastening elements 19which are fastenable to fastening counter-elements 20 at the mopcovering holder 1. In detail, it is provided here that the fasteningcounter-elements 20 are arranged at the top side of the mop coveringholder 1, wherein here the fastening counter-elements 20 are executed asretaining clips and the fastening elements 19 are executed as stripswith retaining knubs or the like at the end.

With a somewhat resilient form of the mop covering 5 and the fasteningelements 19 it can be achieved that the mop covering 5 can be clamped inplace in optimum manner at the mop covering holder 1 with the retainingmoulding 16 engaging in the receiving groove 17 and thus fixed inmechanically positive manner to the mop covering holder 1.

In detail, the following data have proved particularly advantageous forthe dimensions of the mopping device. It is provided, at the outset,that the mop covering holder 1 has a length of 300 to 500 mm, preferablyapproximately 400 mm and, preferably, a diameter of 30 to 50 mm,preferably approximately 40 mm. The mop covering 5 is usually asubstantially rectangular flat structure, which can be formed at the mopside to be, for example, suede-like. In detail, it is recommended thatthe mop covering 5 has a format of about 80 mm×300 mm to about 150mm×540 mm, preferably approximately 100 mm×460 mm.

Moreover, it is particularly advantageous, thus also illustrated in thedrawing, that the mop covering 5 is somewhat longer than the mopcovering holder 1, preferably at each of the ends by 20 to 50 mm,particularly approximately 35 mm. The strips, which project beyond themop covering holder 1, of the mop covering 5 are well-suited to thecleaning of edges, skirting boards and corners in the region of surfacesto be cleaned.

It is has already been explained in detail above that and why theteaching of the invention leads to the result that it is possible towork with a substantially less expensive and lighter mop covering 5. Indetail, it is provided in accordance with the preferred teaching thatthe mop covering 5 consists of textile or textile-like material withonly a small liquid storage effect and has a weight of approximately 40g to 70 g, preferably approximately 50 g, for an area of approximately100 mm×460 mm.

An optimum design of the mop covering holder 1 and the mop covering 5unites a mop covering holder of a length of approximately 400 mm with amop covering in a format of approximately 100 mm×460 mm for a weight ofabout 50 g of the mop covering 5.

Mention has already been made above of the fact that the subject ofdisclosure of the present application is the use of a variant withnarrow, optionally resilient, fastening strips (DE 101 42 084.6 of theapplicant). These variants are taken up again in detail in the furtherclaims 39 to 50, for which purpose reference is to be made to theseclaims.

FIG. 6 shows in the case the example of embodiment there that here thediameter of the reservoir 6 is reduced at the ends to a smaller size.For example, the diameter of 40 mm in the centre region of the reservoir6 is reduced at the end to 30 mm. The reduction is here realised instepped manner, but in principle a chamfering is also conceivable.

In the case of the illustrated, step-like reduction the mop coveringholder 1 is initially placed on the mob covering 5 to be laterallyoffset. Through a counter movement, the narrowed end of the reservoir 6moves under the fastening strip, which forms the fastening element 19 atthe mop covering 5, whereby a transposition to the centre region of thereservoir 6 takes place. The fastening strip is thereby stretched. Assoon as the opposite end of the reservoir 6 stands in front of the otherfastening element 19 of the mop covering 5, the reservoir 6 is moved inopposite direction so that the reduced end region of smaller diameterenters there. The two fastening elements 19, which are constructed asresilient fastening strips, now embrace the reduced end regions of thereservoir 6 and the mop covering 5 is fastened to the reservoir 6 of themop covering holder to be secure against slipping.

In the case of the example of embodiment according to FIG. 7,projections at the upper side are provided on the one hand as counterelements 20 and on the other hand as individual projections 21 spacedtherefrom. Here the respective resilient fastening element 19 can snapinto place between elements 20, 21 in order to fix the mop covering 5 tothe reservoir 6 to the mop covering holder 1.

The subject of the invention is also a mop covering holder 1 for amopping device, as such, according to the invention with features whichare relevant for the mop covering holder 1 and have been previouslydescribed.

The subject of the invention is also a mop covering 5 for a moppingdevice, as such, according to the invention with the features which havebeen previously illustrated as of particular interest for the mopcovering 5.

1.-53. (canceled)
 54. A mopping device for mopping surfaces comprising:a. a longitudinally extending mop covering holder having a mopping sideand a top side; b. a handle sleeve mounted on the mop covering holder atthe top side; c. an operating handle integrated with the handle sleeve;and d. a mop covering arranged at the mop covering holder at the moppingside.
 55. The mopping device of claim 54, wherein the handle sleevefurther comprises a pivot joint.
 56. The mopping device of claim 55,wherein the pivot joint is selected from the group consisting of asimple joint and a universal joint.
 57. The mopping device of claim 54,wherein the operating handle is inserted in the handle sleeve.
 58. Themopping device of claim 54, wherein the mop covering is replaceable. 59.The mopping device of claim 54, wherein the mop covering is a textile.60. The mopping device of claim 54, the mop covering holder furthercomprising a reservoir and at least one discharge opening located in themop covering holder wherein cleaning liquid can flow from the reservoirthrough the discharge opening and onto the mop covering.
 61. The moppingdevice of claim 60, wherein the mop covering holder further comprises atleast one ventilation opening through which air can escape.
 62. Themopping device of claim 54, wherein the mop covering holder has anapproximately circular cross-section.
 63. The mopping device of claim61, wherein the ventilation opening is located on the top side of themop covering holder.
 64. The mopping device of claim 61, wherein theventilation opening is manually closable and openable by means of amovable closure element.
 65. The mopping device of claim 64, wherein theclosure element is selected from the group consisting of a closure plug,a withdrawable and re-insertable closure strip, and a closure cap. 66.The mopping device of claim 64, wherein the ventilation opening isarranged in the region of the handle sleeve, and the closure element isarranged on the handle sleeve.
 67. The mopping device of claim 66,further comprising a bearing for the closure element, the bearinglocated in the handle sleeve.
 68. The mopping device of claim 64,wherein the closure element is adjustable by means of an adjustingmechanism which is located at the operating handle and which is fixablein a closed setting holding the closure element in a closed position onthe ventilation opening.
 69. The mopping device of claim 68, wherein theadjusting mechanism is a setting rod.
 70. The mopping device of claim69, wherein the setting rod is actuable, for fixing, in a rotary motionabout the axis thereof.
 71. The mopping device of claim 69, wherein thesetting rod is an L shape and fixing is effected in accordance with thefunctional principle of a bayonet closure.
 72. The mopping device ofclaim 60, wherein the discharge opening is arranged on the mopping sideof the mop covering holder.
 73. The mopping device of claim 60, whereinthe discharge opening is covered by the mop covering.
 74. The moppingdevice of claim 54, wherein the mop covering further comprises retentionmolding insertable into the discharge opening.
 75. The mopping device ofclaim 54, wherein the mop covering comprises a substantially elongatedrectangular flat mop covering.
 76. The mopping device of claim 54,wherein the mop covering is slightly longer than the mop coveringholder.